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FIFA to Seek Legal Advice on Palestinian Proposal to Suspend Israel from Int’l Football 

FIFA President Gianni Infantino reacts during an address after Brazil won the bid to host the Women's World Cup, during the 74th FIFA Congress at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok, Thailand, May 17, 2024. (Reuters)
FIFA President Gianni Infantino reacts during an address after Brazil won the bid to host the Women's World Cup, during the 74th FIFA Congress at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok, Thailand, May 17, 2024. (Reuters)
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FIFA to Seek Legal Advice on Palestinian Proposal to Suspend Israel from Int’l Football 

FIFA President Gianni Infantino reacts during an address after Brazil won the bid to host the Women's World Cup, during the 74th FIFA Congress at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok, Thailand, May 17, 2024. (Reuters)
FIFA President Gianni Infantino reacts during an address after Brazil won the bid to host the Women's World Cup, during the 74th FIFA Congress at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok, Thailand, May 17, 2024. (Reuters)

FIFA will seek independent legal advice before holding an extraordinary council meeting by July 25 to make a decision on a Palestinian proposal to suspend Israel from international soccer because of the conflict with Hamas.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino outlined the plan at the FIFA congress on Friday after representatives of the Palestinian and Israel football federations had a chance to speak in front of the 211 member associations.

"FIFA will mandate as of now, independent legal expertise to analyze the three requests (from the Palestinian FA) and ensure the statutes of FIFA are applied in the right way," Infantino said. "This legal assessment will have to allow for inputs and claims of both member associations. The results and the recommendations ... will be forwarded to the FIFA council.

"Due to the urgency of the situation, an extraordinary FIFA Council will be convened and will take place before July 25 to review the results of the legal assessment and to take the decisions that are appropriate."

The Palestine Football Association proposal to 211 member federations called for "appropriate sanctions, with immediate effect, against Israeli teams," according to FIFA documents released a month before the congress and council meeting sin Bangkok.

The motion noted "international law violations committed by the Israeli occupation in Palestine, particularly in Gaza" and cited FIFA statutory commitments on human rights and against discrimination.

The Palestinian FA wrote that "all the football infrastructure in Gaza has been either destroyed, or seriously damaged, including the historic stadium of Al-Yarmuk" and said it had support for the motion from the federations of Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Syria and Yemen.

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Japanese Trailblazer Nishikori to Retire at End of Season

Kei Nishikori of Japan reacts after defeating Thiago Monteiro of Brazil during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP)
Kei Nishikori of Japan reacts after defeating Thiago Monteiro of Brazil during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP)
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Japanese Trailblazer Nishikori to Retire at End of Season

Kei Nishikori of Japan reacts after defeating Thiago Monteiro of Brazil during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP)
Kei Nishikori of Japan reacts after defeating Thiago Monteiro of Brazil during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP)

Kei Nishikori will hang ‌up his racquet at the end of the 2026 season, the 36-year-old said on Friday, bringing down the curtain on a professional career that saw him break new ground for Japanese tennis.

Nishikori became the first Japanese player to reach a Grand Slam singles final at the 2014 US Open and was the second Asian man after Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan to make it into the top 10.

He ‌reached a career-high ‌ranking of number four in ‌2015 ⁠and won 12 ⁠titles on the ATP Tour, but has been plagued by injuries for years and has fallen to 464 in the world rankings.

The last time he was ranked in the top 10 was in October 2019 and last month he admitted he ⁠was "barely hanging on" in terms of physical ‌fitness.

"Reaching the ATP Tour, ‌playing at the highest level of competition and maintaining ‌a presence in the top 10 is something ‌I am extremely proud of," Nishikori wrote in a post on social media.

"Whether in victory or defeat, the special atmosphere I felt in packed arenas is irreplaceable ... ‌To be honest, I still wish I could continue my playing career. Even ⁠so, looking ⁠back on everything up to this point, I can proudly say that I gave it my all.

"I am truly happy to have walked this path. I will cherish every moment of the remaining matches and fight to the very end."

Nishikori's most recent appearance in a tour-level event came at last year’s Cincinnati Open, though he has played in five Challenger events this year.

He also won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, defeating Spain's Rafael Nadal in three sets.

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Villa Coach Emery Hits Out at VAR after Europa League Loss to Forest

30 April 2026, United Kingdom, Nottingham: Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts after the UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa at the City Ground. Photo: Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa
30 April 2026, United Kingdom, Nottingham: Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts after the UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa at the City Ground. Photo: Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa
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Villa Coach Emery Hits Out at VAR after Europa League Loss to Forest

30 April 2026, United Kingdom, Nottingham: Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts after the UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa at the City Ground. Photo: Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa
30 April 2026, United Kingdom, Nottingham: Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts after the UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa at the City Ground. Photo: Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery was scathing in his criticism of the Video Assistant Referee's (VAR) decisions in the Europa League first-leg tie against Nottingham Forest, taking issue with a tackle by Eliot Anderson.

Anderson made a sliding tackle on Ollie Watkins in which he won the ball but caught the English forward's ankle with his studs, with VAR reviewing the incident briefly before clearing it.

"It's a clear red card - ⁠I don't understand ⁠why the VAR is not calling the referee because it's so clear," Emery said after Thursday's match, which Forest won 1-0 courtesy of a Chris Wood penalty in the 71st minute.

"And it's very, very ⁠important. It's a huge, huge mistake. VAR is responsible. The referee - fantastic, fantastic job, 10 out of 10. I appreciated how he managed the match for 90 minutes.

"But I watched it back - wow. Huge. He could break his ankle. Wow, VAR - where are you?

Please. It is your responsibility, we are professionals. You are doing very bad work ⁠because it ⁠was so clear for everybody. He could break his ankle."

Despite the severity of the challenge Watkins played the full 90 minutes, a boost for Villa's Champions League hopes for next season as this season comes to a close, Reuters reported.

Watkins is Villa's top goalscorer this season, netting 15 goals so far in all competitions.

Villa, currently fifth in the Premier League table, face relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

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Psychologist in Maradona Death Trial Says Star Had Bipolar Disorder

FILE PHOTO: Psychologist Carlos Angel Diaz walks on the day of a court case against people charged in connection with the death of Argentine soccer player Diego Maradona, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 11, 2025. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Psychologist Carlos Angel Diaz walks on the day of a court case against people charged in connection with the death of Argentine soccer player Diego Maradona, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 11, 2025. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo
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Psychologist in Maradona Death Trial Says Star Had Bipolar Disorder

FILE PHOTO: Psychologist Carlos Angel Diaz walks on the day of a court case against people charged in connection with the death of Argentine soccer player Diego Maradona, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 11, 2025. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Psychologist Carlos Angel Diaz walks on the day of a court case against people charged in connection with the death of Argentine soccer player Diego Maradona, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 11, 2025. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo

A psychologist charged in the trial over Diego Maradona's death told an Argentine court on Thursday that the soccer great had bipolar disorder and was a narcissist, and required a zero-alcohol treatment plan, Argentine media reported.

Carlos Diaz, 34, is facing the charge of manslaughter with reckless intent for prescribing the wrong medication. He is one of seven defendants accused of criminal responsibility in the death of the former Argentine captain and national coach.

"There was bipolar disorder and narcissism," newspaper El Clarin cited Diaz as ⁠saying at the ⁠trial in Buenos Aires. "He could bring a country to its knees, but one glass of alcohol could bring him to his knees."

Diaz said he met Maradona on October 26, 2020, 29 days before the former footballer died, and that Maradona was drinking wine ⁠on a couch at the time, La Nacion Argentina reported.

"The first image shocked me because he was just like my father, an alcoholic, who had died a few months earlier," the newspaper cited Diaz as saying.

Diaz told the court he believed Maradona wanted to change his lifestyle and tailored the star's treatment based on abstinence from alcohol, El Clarin reported. According to Reuters, he also said the toxicology report showed Maradona's life ended after 23 ⁠days without ⁠drug use.

The attacking player won trophies with teams including Boca Juniors, Barcelona and Napoli, and captained Argentina to the World Cup title in 1986.

He died on November 25, 2020, aged 60, after surgery for a subdural hematoma.

The trial is examining whether members of his medical and care team bear criminal responsibility for his death.

Neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, another defendant, also testified on Thursday, saying Maradona's home hospitalization was appropriate and was not intended to function as an intensive-care unit, El Clarin reported.